Fresh-air heater for internal-combustion engines



July 2,6, 1927.i

A. NOLZEN FRESH AIR HEATER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 6. 1926 m n n Patented July 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES- ARTUR NOLZEN, OF RONSDORF, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM: BERGISCHE ELEK- TRIZITTs-GESELLSCHAFT GEBR. NoLzEN, on noNsDoRF, GERMANY.

FRESH-AIR HEATER FOR INTERNAIi-COMBSTION ENGINES.

Application filed March 1926, Seria'l No. 92,795, and in Germany September 29, 1925.

The starting of internal-combustion engines, particularly in motor-cars, meets great difficulties in cold Weather, because the freshair can initially be brought but difficulty to the temperature required for producing the air and fuel mixture in the carbureter, said temperature being afterwards maintained by heating the carbureter by the exhaust. It has already been proposed to l0 heat the fresh-air to be sucked through the carbureter by the engine piston, temporarily, that is When'starting the engine, by means'of an electric heater arranged in front of the carbureter and to be operated by the electric current used for lighting purposes in motorcars.

The Vpresent invention relates to said known kind of heating the fresh-air, and it consists in particular improvements therein with the advantages hereinafter set forth With reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figs. l and 2 are respectively a front view and a side View of the improved heater arranged in front of the carbureter, While Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line A-B of Fig. l; Fig. 4 being a modification of the heater adapted for use behind the carbureter.

A casing l of short lengt-h is built in the fresh-air conduit for the engine. With the heater arranged in front of the carbureter as shown in Figs. l to 3, the conduit and the carbureter are indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. lThe dimensions of the casing 1 must, of course, suit the actual requirements. The electric heater consists (see Figs. l and 4) of a serpentine pipe 2, suitably of copper, of elongated round cross-section (Fig. 3) kand arranged like a grate in and surrounded by said casing, and of an electric resistance 3 non-conductively mounted in said pipe.' The ends of the pipe 2 as Well as its serpentine` arcs are cast inthe body of the easing 1 made of an appropriate alloy. The ends of the resistance 3 lead, in the construction shown in Figs. l to 3, to the pole-pieces 4, 5 Which are screwed to terminals' 6, 7 also cast in the body of the casing in insulating manner.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4 adapted for use behind the carbureter, one polepiece'of the resistance 3 is conductively connected with the Wall of the casing, that is cast therein, so that the terminal 6 with the pole-piece 4 is omitted. The casing l is then conductively connected with the chassis of the motor-car, and only the terminal 7 With the pole-piece 5 is used for the lead to the battery.

The arrangement of a heater behind the carbureter is advantageous because then even the smallest quantity of fuel mixture that is required for starting the motor, is securely heated by being compelled to flow through the heater.

The pipe 2 serves thus by its free tine parts to heat the fresh-air through the casing l and by to also heat the casing itself.

What- I claim, is: i

In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of` a Casing of short length forming partof the fresh-air conduit for the engine, a serpentine pipe of elongated round cross-section arranged likev a grate in and surrounded by said pipe, and an electric reserpenflowing its cast-in parts sistance non-conductively mounted in said pipe, the latter being cast at its ends as Well as at its serpentine arcs in the body of said casing and thus capable of heating by its free serpentine parts the fresh-air flowing through the casing and by its cast-in parts the casing itself.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ARTUR NOLZEN. 

